CHILDREN, SCHOOLS AND FAMILIES

Social Work Taskforce

Edward Balls: The 2020 Children and Young People's Workforce Strategy, published last month, set our ambition for significant reform in social work to be supported by a Social Work Taskforce. Today my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Health and I are announcing the full membership and remit for this taskforce.
	The Social Work Taskforce will undertake a nuts and bolts review of frontline social work practice and make recommendations for immediate improvements to practice and training as well as long-term change in social work. It will report to both the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families and to the Secretary of State for Health.
	Social workers carry out highly challenging work, often in extremely difficult circumstances. They have a vital role in protecting children and young people from harm and in supporting adults. Enabling social workers to deliver consistent high quality practice and services is a key priority for this Government. Our ambition is for social work to be a high quality, self-confident profession, with the support and esteem of the public.
	The taskforce builds on the Government's significant investment in the workforce over the past 10 years. It also builds on the current investment of over £73 million to improve social work training, induction, practice and recruitment.
	The taskforce will be chaired by Moira Gibb, chief executive of Camden Council. Andrew Webb, director of Children's Services, Stockport and Bob Reitemeier, chief executive of the Children's Society will be the deputy chairs. The taskforce will be small and action-focused. It will include individuals with a range of backgrounds and experiences including service user perspectives, frontline social workers, social work leaders and academics. The taskforce will meet for the first time in early February 2009 and will publish findings in summer 2009.
	The taskforce will root its work in a thorough review of evidence and will build on Lord Laming's review of safeguarding. It will be crucial that the taskforce listens carefully to the experiences, needs and views of frontline social workers and service users. The taskforce will look at all of the factors that impact on frontline social work practice including a survey of workloads and pressures facing social workers. We have asked the taskforce, as an early priority, to look specifically at the integrated children's system including how it helps to deliver quality support to children and families, procurement and IT issues, how well social workers are supported to use the system and its impact on social worker workloads.
	The taskforce will also engage closely with stakeholders including delivery partners, social work employers, unions, providers of social work training and academics to identify the key issues affecting social work practice and to ensure that the taskforce's recommendations will secure excellent frontline practice. It will work in close partnership with the key organisations delivering improvements in social work, including the Children's Workforce Development Council, the General Social Care Council and Skills for Care.
	We are very grateful to the people listed below for agreeing to be members of the taskforce and contributing to this important work.
	Chair
	Moira Gibb, CBE, Chief Executive, Camden Borough Council
	Deputy Chairs
	Andrew Webb, Corporate Director, Children and Young People, Stockport
	Metropolitan Borough Council
	Bob Reitemeier, Chief Executive, The Children's Society
	Members
	Celia Atherton OBE, Founder and Chief Executive of Research in Practice
	Anne Beales, Director of Service User Involvement, Together—Working forWellbeing
	Kim Bromley-Derry, Director of Children's Services, Newham
	Sue Butcher, Head of Children and Young People's Services, Gloucestershire
	Richard Jones, Director of Adult Services, Lancashire
	Diane Mallett, Senior Social Work practitioner, Barnsley Adult Social Services
	Helga Pile, National Officer for Social Care, Unison
	James Riley, Director of Adult Services, Hammersmith and Fulham
	Bridget Robb, Professional Officer, British Association of Social Workers
	Deidre Sanders, Agony Aunt: The Sun
	Professor Sue White, Professor of Social Work, Lancaster University
	Neil Wragg MBE, Chief Executive Officer, Youth at Risk
	Maxine Wrigley MBE, National Coordinator, Voice
	I am placing in the House Library copies of list of the full membership and remit for the Social Work Taskforce.

ContactPoint

Edward Balls: I can confirm to the House that the first steps to activate the Government's online directory of children's services—ContactPoint—will begin today.
	ContactPoint, developed in response to a key recommendation of the Laming inquiry into the tragic death of Victoria Climbié, is a directory to support better communication among practitioners across education, health, social care and youth offending in the statutory and voluntary sectors. It will provide a quick way for those practitioners to find out who else is working with the same child or young person. It is a vital tool to help keep children safe because it is absolutely crucial the right agencies are involved at the right time and get even better at sharing information. And it will also help practitioners to improve outcomes for all children.
	Under current child safeguarding arrangements, if a professional believes a child is at risk they may have no immediate way of knowing whether other services are already in contact with that child. The Government believe a fully operational system could save at least 5 million hours of professionals' time, currently wasted trying to track down who else, if anyone, is helping the child.
	The first stage of delivery of ContactPoint will enable 19 early adopter organisations—17 local authorities in the north-west of England and two national voluntary sector partners, Barnardo's and KIDS—to train their ContactPoint management teams. It also allows all local authorities to start to shield a small proportion of records on ContactPoint. This additional precautionary measure is appropriate for records of children who are at risk of significant harm. These might include children with particular vulnerable circumstances, such as children from families on witness protection schemes, or where one parent has been the victim of domestic abuse, or in certain cases where the child has been adopted.
	These are significant steps on the journey to making ContactPoint fully available. We are taking a steady and incremental approach to implementation, ensuring we evaluate as we progress and adapt our approach if required.
	No information on children's cases will be held on ContactPoint and it will not be possible to download content. It is a simple online tool containing:
	minimal identifying information for each child in England: name, address, date of birth, gender, and contact details for parents or carers. Each child will also have a unique identifying number;
	contact details for the child's educational setting and GP practice and for other practitioners or services working with the child; and
	an indication as to whether a service or practitioner holds an assessment under the common assessment framework, or whether they are a lead professional for that child.
	Security is of paramount importance. We have put in place comprehensive arrangements to prevent inappropriate access to the information on the system and ongoing security will remain a priority.
	ContactPoint is backed by major children's organisations, such as Barnardo's and Action for Children, teachers' unions like NASUWT as well as the Association of Chief Police Officers, the Royal College of General Practitioners and the Children's Inter-agency Group whose members include NSPCC, the LGA and the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health.
	I will provide an update to Parliament in the spring.

ENERGY AND CLIMATE CHANGE

Severn Tidal Power

Edward Miliband: Further to the launch of the Severn Tidal Power Feasibility Study in January 2008, I am pleased to inform the House that the Government have today issued a public consultation on the conclusions of the first phase of the study.
	The huge, renewable resource of the Severn estuary tides is a means of generating nearly 5 per cent. of UK electricity. It can contribute to meeting the UK's renewable energy targets and the progressive decarbonisation of our electricity supply. But Severn tidal power must be considered in the wider context of alternative options as well as its impact on the environment and the economy. Energy saving, and other low carbon and renewable sources of supply are all means of achieving our goals. The consultation makes the comparison to these alternatives.
	Tidal power development in the Severn estuary has benefits, costs, and risks and the consultation paper sets out a provisional assessment of these, in order to promote an open public debate. Studies by external consultants are published today alongside the consultation paper, including technical and engineering assessments, advice on financing and ownership structures, an assessment of regional economic impacts, and initial studies on environmental impacts.
	The consultation seeks views on:
	the process used to move from a long list of potential schemes (following a call for proposals last summer) to a short list of feasible schemes;
	the proposed issues for further investigation by the feasibility study, including the scope of strategic environmental assessment
	the proposed shortlist of:
	1. Shoots Barrage—(1.05GW scheme located downstream of the new Severn road crossing with an estimated construction cost of £3.2 billion)
	2. Beachley Barrage—(625MW scheme further upstream of the first Severn road bridge with an estimated cost of construction of £2.3 billion)
	3. Bridgwater Bay Lagoon—(1.36GW impoundment on the English side of the Estuary with an estimated construction cost of £3.8 billion)
	4. Fleming Lagoon—(1.36GW impoundment on the Welsh bank of the estuary with an estimated construction cost of £4.0 billion)
	5. Cardiff-Weston (Lavernock Point to Brean Down) Barrage (8.64GW scheme, commonly known as the "Severn Barrage", with an estimated cost of construction of £20.9 billion)
	The Government are keen to continue to consider other innovative schemes. However some of those that have been submitted to the feasibility study are not sufficiently developed at this point for more detailed evaluation. We hope to see these develop further with the benefit of Government financial support and new public funding of £500,000 is being made available (in addition to existing support) to speed their development. The Government will consider their progress alongside shortlisted schemes before taking decisions on Severn tidal power generation.
	Copies of the consultation document have been placed in the Libraries and are also available at: http://severntidalpowerconsultation.decc.gov.uk. The consultation period is 26 January to 23 April 09.
	I expect to hold a further public consultation at the end of the feasibility study, probably in 2010, to seek public views on whether Government could support a Severn tidal power scheme and if so on what terms. This will include considering the development of alternatives to the shortlisted scheme which are not currently sufficiently technically developed for further evaluation. The option remains open not to proceed with any scheme.
	A meeting of the Severn tidal power Parliamentary Forum is being held at 5.00pm this afternoon in the large Ministerial meeting room.

HEALTH

Written Answer (Correction)

Ben Bradshaw: I regret that the written answer given to the hon. Member for South Cambridgeshire (Mr. Lansley) on 12 January 2009, Official Report, column 178W, was incorrect with respect to the 2009-10 weighted capitation targets per weighted head provided in the third column in the table. The correct information is as follows:
	Table: 2009-10 weighted capitation targets per unweighted and weighted person by primary care trust (PCT)
	
		
			  Weightedcapitationtarget perunweightedhead Weightedcapitationtarget perweightedhead 
			 PCT £ £ 
			 Ashton, Leigh and Wigan PCT 1,757 1,535 
			 Barking and Dagenham PCT 1,810 1,535 
			 Barnet PCT 1,444 1,572 
			 Barnsley PCT 1,877 1,548 
			 Bassetlaw PCT 1,673 1,535 
			 Bath and North East Somerset PCT 1,288 1,546 
			 Bedfordshire PCT 1,340 1,535 
			 Berkshire East PCT 1,315 1,535 
			 Berkshire West PCT 1,235 1,537 
			 Bexley Care Trust 1,488 1,535 
			 Birmingham East and North PCT 1,713 1,542 
			 Blackburn with Darwen PCT 1,719 1,535 
			 Blackpool PCT 1,938 1,539 
			 Bolton PCT 1,714 1,539 
			 Bournemouth and Poole Teaching PCT 1,548 1,542 
			 Bradford and Airedale Teaching PCT 1,598 1,535 
			 Brent Teaching PCT 1,629 1,553 
			 Brighton and Hove City PCT 1,572 1,541 
			 Bristol PCT 1,485 1,544 
			 Bromley PCT 1,405 1,535 
			 Buckinghamshire PCT 1,260 1,535 
			 Bury PCT 1,578 1,535 
			 Calderdale PCT 1,531 1,544 
			 Cambridgeshire PCT 1,314 1,549 
			 Camden PCT 1,610 1,535 
			 Central and Eastern Cheshire PCT 1,419 1,537 
			 Central Lancashire PCT 1,571 1,543 
			 City and Hackney Teaching PCT 2,009 1,535 
			 Cornwall and Isles of Scilly PCT 1,586 1,539 
			 County Durham PCT 1,826 1,545 
			 Coventry Teaching PCT 1,622 1,542 
			 Croydon PCT 1,494 1,539 
			 Cumbria Teaching PCT 1,572 1,538 
			 Darlington PCT 1,651 1,542 
			 Derby City PCT 1,562 1,540 
			 Derbyshire County PCT 1,589 1,539 
			 Devon PCT 1,454 1,539 
			 Doncaster PCT 1,775 1,547 
			 Dorset PCT 1,497 1,535 
			 Dudley PCT 1,592 1,540 
			 Ealing PCT 1,557 1,535 
			 East and North Hertfordshire PCT 1,366 1,546 
			 East Lancashire Teaching PCT 1,672 1,535 
			 East Riding of Yorkshire PCT 1,464 1,535 
			 East Sussex Downs and Weald PCT 1,497 1,535 
			 Eastern and Coastal Kent PCT 1,576 1,535 
			 Enfield PCT 1,569 1,535 
			 Gateshead PCT 1,840 1,540 
			 Gloucestershire PCT 1,378 1,535 
			 Great Yarmouth and Waveney PCT 1,649 1,535 
			 Greenwich Teaching PCT 1,727 1,535 
			 Halton and St Helens PCT 1,837 1,549 
			 Hammersmith and Fulham PCT 1,625 1,535 
			 Hampshire PCT 1,335 1,540 
			 Haringey Teaching PCT 1,706 1,540 
			 Harrow PCT 1,439 1,535 
			 Hartlepool PCT 1,860 1,543 
			 Hastings and Rother PCT 1,720 1,535 
			 Havering PCT 1,572 1,535 
			 Heart of Birmingham Teaching PCT 1,639 1,542 
			 Herefordshire PCT 1,489 1,548 
			 Heywood, Middleton and Rochdale PCT 1,743 1,535 
			 Hillingdon PCT 1,451 1,535 
			 Hounslow PCT 1,539 1,535 
			 Hull Teaching PCT 1,689 1,535 
			 Isle of Wight NHS PCT 1,651 1,535 
			 Islington PCT 1,913 1,551 
			 Kensington and Chelsea PCT 1,377 1,535 
			 Kingston PCT 1,242 1,535 
			 Kirklees PCT 1,536 1,535 
			 Knowsley PCT 2,020 1,535 
			 Lambeth PCT 1,731 1,535 
			 Leeds PCT 1,506 1,535 
			 Leicester City PCT 1,649 1,543 
			 Leicestershire County and Rutland PCT 1,327 1,543 
			 Lewisham PCT 1,678 1,545 
			 Lincolnshire Teaching PCT 1,553 1,546 
			 Liverpool PCT 2,007 1,543 
			 Luton PCT 1,553 1,550 
			 Manchester PCT 1,889 1,548 
			 Medway PCT 1,456 1,535 
			 Mid Essex PCT 1,316 1,535 
			 Middlesbrough PCT 1,819 1,541 
			 Milton Keynes PCT 1,360 1,546 
			 Newcastle PCT 1,719 1,541 
			 Newham PCT 1,963 1,595 
			 Norfolk PCT 1,505 1,546 
			 North East Essex PCT 1,561 1,542 
			 North East Lincolnshire Care Trust Plus 1,595 1,535 
			 North Lancashire Teaching PCT 1,599 1,535 
			 North Lincolnshire PCT 1,561 1,535 
			 North Somerset PCT 1,464 1,552 
			 North Staffordshire PCT 1,586 1,535 
			 North Tyneside PCT 1,697 1,539 
			 North Yorkshire and York PCT 1,380 1,535 
			 Northamptonshire Teaching PCT 1,379 1,535 
			 Northumberland Care Trust 1,635 1,539 
			 Nottingham City PCT 1,638 1,541 
			 Nottinghamshire County Teaching PCT 1,538 1,543 
			 Oldham PCT 1,715 1,535 
			 Oxfordshire PCT 1,261 1,538 
			 Peterborough PCT 1,539 1,572 
			 Plymouth Teaching PCT 1,602 1,568 
			 Portsmouth City Teaching PCT 1,485 1,542 
			 Redbridge PCT 1,512 1,535 
			 Redcar and Cleveland PCT 1,777 1,540 
			 Richmond and Twickenham PCT 1,215 1,535 
			 Rotherham PCT 1,758 1,544 
			 Salford PCT 1,879 1,549 
			 Sandwell PCT 1,821 1,540 
			 Sefton PCT 1,747 1,535 
			 Sheffield PCT 1,619 1,542 
			 Shropshire County PCT 1,469 1,539 
			 Solihull Care Trust 1,404 1,545 
			 Somerset PCT 1,461 1,541 
			 South Birmingham PCT 1,664 1,542 
			 South East Essex PCT 1,534 1,535 
			 South Gloucestershire PCT 1,260 1,548 
			 South Staffordshire PCT 1,480 1,541 
			 South Tyneside PCT 1,849 1,535 
			 South West Essex PCT 1,492 1,535 
			 Southampton City PCT 1,504 1,542 
			 Southwark PCT 1,755 1,535 
			 Stockport PCT 1,483 1,535 
			 Stockton-on-Tees Teaching PCT 1,585 1,541 
			 Stoke on Trent PCT 1,845 1,535 
			 Suffolk PCT 1,382 1,541 
			 Sunderland Teaching PCT 1,873 1,535 
			 Surrey PCT 1,282 1,536 
			 Sutton and Merton PCT 1,384 1,535 
			 Swindon PCT 1,433 1,559 
			 Tameside and Glossop PCT 1,709 1,535 
			 Telford and Wrekin PCT 1,540 1,553 
			 Torbay Care Trust 1,725 1,548 
			 Tower Hamlets PCT 1,917 1,546 
			 Trafford PCT 1,476 1,540 
			 Wakefield District PCT 1,771 1,540 
			 Walsall Teaching PCT 1,734 1,540 
			 Waltham Forest PCT 1,700 1,535 
			 Wandsworth PCT 1,482 1,535 
			 Warrington PCT 1,509 1,545 
			 Warwickshire PCT 1,427 1,535 
			 West Essex PCT 1,447 1,552 
			 West Hertfordshire PCT 1,348 1,542 
			 West Kent PCT 1,376 1,538 
			 West Sussex PCT 1,438 1,537 
			 Western Cheshire PCT 1,493 1,544 
			 Westminster PCT 1,452 1,535 
			 Wiltshire PCT 1,321 1,535 
			 Wirral PCT 1,787 1,538 
			 Wolverhampton City PCT 1,764 1,541 
			 Worcestershire PCT 1,431 1,539 
			
			 England 1,540 1,540

Cross-border Health Services

Ben Bradshaw: The House of Commons Welsh Affairs Select Committee published its interim report "The provision of cross-border health services for Wales" on 10 July 2008. We are today laying before Parliament the Command Paper (Cm 7531) setting out the Government response to the report.
	We have carefully considered the Committee's interim report. The Command Paper discusses the wider context of cross-border health care, including arrangements to co-ordinate service provision, the commissioning, funding and quality of services, and provides the additional information requested by the Committee.
	The Government agree with the Committee that the border between England and Wales does not represent a barrier to the provision of health care. The core principles of the national health service continue to apply across the UK and an inevitable and healthy consequence of devolution has been some divergence in health policy between England and Wales.
	The Government and the Welsh Assembly Government operate a protocol whereby responsibility for a patient who lives on one side of the border and is registered with a GP on the other can be determined. The protocol has been renewed annually and is currently in place until April 2009. It is supported by an annual transfer of funds from the Department of Health to the Welsh Assembly Government to cover the costs of providing secondary care for the greater number of patients who live in England but have a GP in Wales. Negotiations on the renewal of the protocol are almost complete.

JUSTICE

Victims Champion

Jack Straw: The Home Secretary, the Attorney-General and I are today pleased to announce the appointment of Sara Payne MBE as Victims' Champion.
	The role of Victims' Champion will be to:
	listen to the views and concerns of victims and witnesses
	represent the views of victims' and witnesses to Ministers, Government officials and in the media
	challenge criminal justice agencies to further reform their practices in relation to victims and witnesses.
	The Victims' Champion will be a new, time limited appointment for one year to ensure continuing focus on victims' issues while Parliament considers proposals in the Coroners and Justice Bill in relation to the separate office of Victims and Witnesses Commissioner. That Bill was introduced in the House of Commons on 14 January.
	After the murder of her daughter Sarah, Ms Payne started a campaign to change the way in which sex offenders were dealt with and supervised in the community. Ms Payne has since worked closely with the Home Office on increasing the right of public access to information about known sex offenders.
	Ms Payne was also instrumental in establishing the Multi-agency Public Protection Arrangement (MAPPA) which ensures that a risk management plan is drawn up for the most serious offenders.
	Ms Payne currently delivers training to specially trained police family liaison officers and has recently been awarded an MBE for her services to protection and work with Phoenix.